The present invention relates to a braking device particularly usable for skates which comprise a shoe composed of a quarter which is articulated to a shell which is in turn associated with a supporting frame for two or more wheels.
Currently, in known types of roller skate, whether constituted by a shoe associated with a support for two pairs of mutually parallel wheels or by a shoe associated with a supporting frame for one or more in-line wheels, there is the problem of braking said wheels in order to be able to adjust the speed of said skate.
It is known to use blocks or pads, usually made of rubber, which are arranged at the tip or heel region of the shoe. When the user tilts the shoe forward or backward, the free end of the blocks or pads interacts with the ground and braking is thus achieved.
However, such brakes are not optimum, since they require the user to rotate the shoe, and therefore the frame associated therewith, at the tip or heel, and this can cause loss of balance with consequent falls.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,402,010 discloses a roller skate provided with a band which can be fastened to the user""s leg above the malleolar region and to which a rod is connected.
The rod wraps around the leg to the rear and is then curved so as to laterally affect the leg until it is associated at its ends, in the malleolar region, with a lever system which is articulated to a structure which protrudes from the wheel supporting frame.
The lever system protrudes laterally and to the rear of the frame and is radiused and connected to a plate which is shaped approximately complimentarily to the curvature of a portion of an underlying and facing wheel.
The above brake is not free from drawbacks: first of all, mutual motion occurs between the band and the leg throughout sports practice and this makes it uncomfortable to use it, due to the continuous rubbing of the band on the leg.
Furthermore, the plate is activated whenever the user bends his leg backward, beyond a certain angle, and there is no actual easy way to vary this condition.
Furthermore, every user has an individual leg shape and therefore braking is achieved for different rotation angles with an equal rod length.
Furthermore, the rod acts at the malleolar region and this can cause discomfort or accidental impacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,895 partially solves the above drawback by virtue of a brake for skates having two pairs of mutually parallel wheels which acts at the rear wheels. The brake is constituted by a tongue which is associated with the shoe in a rear region and to the rear of which a blade is associated. The blade is pivoted at the shoe supporting frame.
The blade has, at its free end, a transverse element on which there are, at the lateral ends, two C-shaped elements which interact, as a consequence of a backward rotation applied to the tongue, with the rolling surface of the rear wheels that face them.
However, also the above brake has drawbacks: it is in fact structurally complicated and therefore difficult to industrialize. Moreover, it entails the presence of suitable springs which allow to reposition the tongue in the condition in which the two C-shaped elements do not interact with the wheels, and this further increases structural complexity.
Furthermore, the structural configuration of the brake causes the two C-shaped elements to interact with the wheel even if a minimal backward rotation is applied to the tongue and therefore even for unintentional movements: this leads to unintended braking and therefore to possible losses of balance or lack of coordination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,781 relates to a braking device for skates which comprise pairs of mutually parallel wheels. The brake is constituted by a blade which is pivoted transversely at the rear end of the supporting frame for a shoe. Pads are associated with the ends of the blade and face the rolling surface of the pair of rear wheels.
Brake activation occurs by using a cable which is suitable to turn the blade, in contrast with a spring associated with the support for the pair of front wheels, so as to bring the pads into contact with the rolling structure of the pair of rear wheels.
Activation of the cable is allowed by rings or handles which are associated with a band which can be arranged on the lower limbs of the user by virtue of the presence of temporary connection means.
However, this brake entails considerable drawbacks: first of all, the activation of the brake can lead to possible losses of balance during sports practice, because the user""s body does not assume a position which is suitable to control the sudden speed reduction; only the hand of the skater is in fact involved in the activation of the brake.
Furthermore, since sports practice can occur while wearing pants, the band may slip along the pants or pull them along the leg when the rings are pulled, thwarting the braking action.
Furthermore, there is a loose cable which in addition to being a hindrance to the skater can accidentally catch during skating, especially since coordination of the movement of arms and legs places them rhythmically laterally outward.
IT-1,257,742, in the name of this same Applicant, partially solves this drawback. IT-1,257,742 discloses a braking device for skates which comprise a shoe composed of a quarter which is articulated to a shell and is associated with a supporting frame for one or more wheels, which comprises at least one traction element which connects the quarter to a braking element which oscillates between the wings of the supporting frame in a region which is interposed between two mutually adjacent wheels.
However, even this skate has drawbacks, since actuation of the braking device when the quarter is tilted is not always optimum and prompt.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the above-cited drawbacks of the prior art by providing a braking device for skates which is efficient from the functional point of view and structurally very simple and compact.
An important object is to fully eliminate the space occupation due to the braking device in the rear region of the skate in order to allow greater freedom of movement to the skater while maintaining a high level of constructive simplicity and the optimum efficiency of the braking device.
Another important object is to provide a braking device which can be at least partially concealed from the user""s view so as to increase the aesthetic properties of the skate.
Another important object is to provide a braking device which can be activated quickly, simply and safely by the user without said user having to perform movements, for example with his/her hands, which might compromise his/her balance or coordination and which can be activated by the user when actually necessary and therefore not accidentally.
Another object is to provide a device which associates with the preceding characteristics that of being reliable and safe in use and easy to industrialize, of having low manufacturing costs, and of being also applicable to known types of skate.
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a braking device, particularly for skates comprising a shoe composed of a quarter which is articulated to a shell which is associated with a supporting frame for two or more wheels, comprising at least one traction element which operatively connects said quarter to a braking element, characterized in that said at least one traction element is associated, at one end, with an actuation element which is connected to said quarter or interacts therewith and is guided on a means which is fixed to said shell, can slide thereon and/or on the surface of an innerboot and is connected, at its other end, to a lever system which is suitable to actuate the movement of a braking element which is associated with said frame in contrast with at least one flexible element.
Advantageously, the braking element is rotatably and/or slidingly associated with the frame in the interspace between two adjacent wheels.